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Chocolate cupcake piped with chocolate frosting with a big bite taken out of it.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Chocolate buttercream has a smooth and silky texture and also holds its shape well. Perfect for frosting cookies, cake or cupcakes, this simple buttercream is one you’ll want to make again and again!
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 4 cups
Calories: 790kcal
Author: Alexandria Ulmer

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
  • Large Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

  • 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter until smooth and creamy.
  • Add the unsweetened cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla extract, then beat until well incorporated.
  • Mix in the powdered sugar about ½ cup at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
  • Spread or pipe the frosting onto your desired treat. Enjoy!

Notes

Recipe copyright The Domestic Spoon. For educational or personal use only. 
  1. Unsalted butter: You want your butter to be softened, not melted. This is important for achieving the right texture. The easiest way to get the right texture is to let the butter come to room temperature on the counter for a few hours.
  2. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Feel free to use regular cocoa powder or dutch processed cocoa powder. Dutch cocoa powder has a slightly more rich chocolate flavor
  3. Milk: I prefer whole milk. You could also substitute cream.
  4. Vanilla Extract: Use my measurement or measure with your heart.
  5. Powdered Sugar: Also called confectioners sugar or icing sugar.
  6. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of your mixing bowl often as you mix. Don’t let any butter escape!
  7. Give the butter plenty of time to whip and get nice and creamy. It may help to let the butter and vanilla whip up together for a bit before adding the other ingredients. Whip it on a high speed to let plenty of air into the mixture.
  8. Achieving the right consistency can be tricky. If you feel like your frosting is too dry, add milk just a teaspoon at a time and allow it to fully mix in before adding more.
  9. If you feel like your mixture is too thin, you may want to let it rest in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes before adding a little more powdered sugar, just a tablespoon at a time. Allowing the mixture to rest in the fridge allows the fats in the butter to come back together. It is possible your butter may have softened too much.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 790kcal | Carbohydrates: 97g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 187mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 89g | Vitamin A: 1424IU | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg
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